Our PTSO doesn't charge any membership dues..we have never even considered it..I don't think I could support that while I am on the board...I feel any parent should be encouraged to attend the meetings...we often have neighbors, staff, granparents, etc. who attend as well...We usually have 25 to 30 parents at each meeting and sometimes more on a special night (fundraising votes, etc.)
Hi,
We have a small membership fee which used mainly for covering cost of our Membership welcome packets we hand out to any member who signs up. We have just recently implemented this packet to try to get more parent/teacher Information out so they have the knowledge at hand as to what exactly our organization is there to do for their children. We have a school with an enrollment of only 285 children and we benefit well from parent from home involvement as well as hands on Volunteer work in the schools for fundraisers. I think the most important factor is to get parents involved not from their pocket all the time but from their hearts, their intelligence and their basic understanding that we are all their for the kids. I think that $20 is to much to ask when you consider how much is given the rest of the year.
That really seems high. We only have a $5.00 per family membership fee. Our membership enrollment is about 80% of all our families.
Does your school consider the membership fee a "fundraiser" to where you absolutely have to charge that much? Maybe if you lowered your membership fee, you may have a better response.
In our school, we like the idea of the membership drive and encouraging the commitment. However, once the drive is over (other than getting the directory later)there's no difference between a "member" and a "non member". Our volunteer drive is separate, and we don't check to see volunteers are members or not. All the kids and their families are our constituents. Everyone is included in all activities. So if someone chooses not to "join" that doesn't mean they aren't or can't be active in the PTO later.
One of the first rules, in my book anyway, is "It shouldn't cost to volunteer". You can't use your work force as your funding. I have tried to tell other types of organizations this, and if they don't listen, they usually fold. That is not to say that your organization will fold, but you sure as heck aren't going to attract worker bees.
Going to the original question of what can you do that would make it worth $20 membership dues? Use the collected $20 and purchase a bowling night for members only... Use the collected $20 to purchase Disneyland Tickets for an entire family (min. 4 tickets even though some families may just be the child and a single parent and up to what might possibly be a family of 10 or more) and give them as a kind of door prize/incentive to join. Everyone has a fair shot in the drawing if they have payed their $20. Or something of that nature.
Again, I must stress that you won't attract many worker bees, although you may attract a few checkbooks...but cash doesn't run a Santa Shop or a Spring Fling Sale, or a Year End Carnival, etc. Carefully weigh what it is you are looking for and then do the right thing...
And keep in mind, stay at home parents are one of your biggest assets because they have the time to help out on a moments notice...thing is, they are the ones who usually can't afford the fees...
Our fee is $3 as well. $20 seems like a lot and you would probably make up the amount you loose by lowering your membership by the amount of increase you would get. Plus, the idea is to get members, not necessarily make money.
For that $3 our members get the school directory (printing is donated so it doesn't cost us to make it). They also get $3 worth of tickets to the Fall Festival. (Again this costs us nothing and encourages families to attend the festival and spend more money).
We also reward the class with the highest percentage with a party (ice cream or pizza).
I would seriously consider dropping the price to $10.
